I can love both faire and browne,
Her whom abundance melts, and her whom want betraies,
Her who loves lonenesse best, and her who maskes and plaies,
Her whom the country form'd, and whom the town,
Her who beleeves, and her who tries,
Her who still weepes with spungie eyes,
And her who is dry corke, and never cries;
I can love her, and her, and you and you,
I can love any, so she be not true.
Will no other vice content you?
Wil it not serve your turn to do, as did your mothers?
Or have you all old vices spent, and now would finde out others?
Or doth a feare, that men are true, torment you?
Oh we are not, be not you so,
Let mee, and doe you, twenty know.
Rob mee, but binde me not, and let me goe.
Must I, who came to travaile thorow you,
Grow your fixt subject, because you are true?
Venus heard me sigh this song,
And by Loves sweetest Part, Variety, she swore,
She heard not this till now; and that it should be so no more.
She went, examin'd, and return'd ere long,
And said, alas, Some two or three
Poore Heretiques in love there bee,
Which thinke to stablish dangerous constancie.
But I have told them, since you will be true,
You shall be true to them, who'are false to you.
[The Indifferent. 1633-69, A18, N, TCC, TCD: A
Songe, Songe, or no title, B, D, H40, H49, JC,
Lec, O'F, S, S96: Sonnet. P]
[3 lonenesse] lovers 1669
maskes] sports 1669, S
and 1669: & 1633-39: om. 1650-54]
[12 spent] worn 1669]
[15 mee, 1633: me; 1635-69]
[17 travaile] spelt travell, travel 1635-69]
[19 sigh] sing 1669]
[20 sweetest Part,] sweetest sweet, 1669, P, S]
[21 and that it 1633, B, D, H49, Lec, S: it
1635-69, H40, P: and it A18, JC, N, O'F, S96,
TC]